Falmouth Cafe Sci

...............Please note: all Cafe Sci events held at the Poly are free - unless for special events - but there is a £1 'voluntary' admission charge for use of the building - a small contribution to the Poly's fund for restoration and development of the building...................................

Spring 2018 Season:

NB: The Philosophers' Hat discussions also continue over this period. Check the website or Facebook page (details in the right hand column) .....

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June 27th, 7.45pm in the Library at the PolyPlease note the change from our usual 3rd Wednesday slot.

'Prestige' and 'dominance' are thought to be two distinct routes to gaining status and influence in human social hierarchies. Our research is concerned with how people come to be perceived as 'prestigious' or 'dominant' by other members of their group.

Research into social hierarchies, including who people choose to learn from, helps us to better understand how information is transmitted through communities, who people trust, who they believe, and what information they pay attention to. This can have implications for people's political decisions, health and lifestyle choices, parenting decisions, and many other aspects of our modern lives in which we are swamped with constantly changing information.

We ran an experiment with 150 people from all over Cornwall, in teams of 5. The teams took part in a 'pub quiz' style activity, and rated various members of their team and community on scales of prestige and dominance.

We will discuss the results of this experiment, including what it can tell us about who people pay attention to, when they pay attention to them, and why.

NB: all 150 members of the study groups are invited; plus any others with a interest in prestige and dominance, and in cultural evolution theories.

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July 11th, 7.45pm at the Falmouth PolytechnicRock, Paper, Scissors – When microbes play gameswith Mariann Landsberger, researcher at University of Exeter,

"Rock, Paper, Scissors – When microbes play games” is a graphic novel telling the tale of the toils and hardships of a cunning little virus triumphing over its enemies with the help of a valiant knight.

Mariann Landsberger knows many tales of viruses of ba cteria struggling with bacteria, and has teamed up with Andrei Serpe, recent Fine Art graduate from Falmouth University, to paint their pictures and tell of their adventures.

This talk features the great adventures of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria), the famous CRISPR-Cas scissors, and anti-CRISPRs, as well as an account of this interdisciplinary collaboration; the process from inception, writing a storyline to printing the graphic novel.

NB: Matt Creasey's talk is now postponed until later in the SummerIt's who you know...With writer and researcher Mathew Creasey. ​Mathew's research focusses on individual differences in personality and cognition among individuals within cooperative groups.

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Later in the year;

Going with the flowOn the mixture of fluid dynamics and psychology in traffic management, with Andrew Archer, and Bert Biscoe, former policy holder for transport, Cornwall County Council.Bert and Andrew will be discussing the science of flows, conflicts, urgencies and capacities.

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​About Falmouth Cafe Scientifique

Meanwhile, if you are not quite sure what a cafe sci is all about, check the description here; or try the excellent international Cafe Sci community site.

If you might be interested in attending, let us know. If you might be interested in speaking - or know someone who might - then it's best to read first the Advice for Speakers ( so that they/you have a good idea of what to expect) and then contact us.

The most significant development currently is the decision to regard the Falmouth Cafe Sci henceforth as being a wing of the (still quite new) Cornwallbranch of theBritish Science Association

The video above shows the BSA's view science, as "It’s not just a list of facts – it’s a mindset owned by anyone who approaches the world in an open-minded, sceptical, logical, systematic, empirically-oriented, tentative and curious way.

(That is exactly the Cafe Sci view; a mindset not a method, and there is no subject that it can't cover - no subject area that is, or is not, suitable for 'science'.)For more background on the British Science Association itself, you can also check out the (national) website: HERE

NB: This website site isn't interactive. This kind of (free) software is good for lengthy content, but not for discussion.

But you can follow developments, and comment on the idea, the programme, or individual talks, via theFalmouth Cafe Sci Facebook page.

(With apologies to all those who hate Facebook. But if you can suggest a better interactive web programme - please do!)

And we have now another brand new discussion group in this remarkably busy little town -The Philosopher's HatDescribed as 'a place in spacetime to discuss what really matters (or doesn't)', this is a Falmouth-based discussion group aimed at providing people with a space and time to don their Philosopher’s Hat and chat about any topic they fancy over a pint in the pub

The group meets twice monthly on the 1st and 3rd Monday, at the Boathouse (pub), from 7pm.

Otherwise...... the National Maritime Museum have now launched a new website, which they intend to be far more accessible and interactive.As they say:" The brand new NMMC.CO.UK is part of an overall re-fresh of the museum’s digital brand which also includes social media, email and video."A new digital content strategy has increased the museum’s use of video content to communicate key messages and promote new events and exhibitions.... "

Check out their site, below.

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Other local talks and events coming up:........................

Source Fm - Falmouth and Penryn's community radio - has a continuous programme of talks, music etc.For their website and up-coming programme; see their website: HERE

.......................At the Falmouth PolytechnicThe Poly is home to most of Falmouth Cafe Sci talks - and a lot else besides. The documentary talks programme is becoming fuller. For more details, see their own website: HERE

.................At the Maritime Museumfor details, see their own website: HERE....................At Falmouth/Exeter Uni, Penryn campusfor details, see their website

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Others? Just let us know.......

NB: Throughout October of 2015 we ran, in conjunction with the Poly on Tuesday afternoons, an experimental MOOC-tracking discussion group. With the advent of BSA Cornwall (see above), we might like to revive this idea.

What’s a MOOC, you ask (again)? This link to a specific page on this site will tell you all you need to know: http://falmouthcafescientifique.weebly.com/what-is-a-mooc.html . But in short, think: internet book club: watch a video, or take a whole course of weekly reading - and come and discuss it with similarly -enthused people. Simples.......

There is the possibility of making this a more regular feature of MOOC, BSA and Poly life, in 2017......

We are always open to suggestions for topics....

The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society ( a.k.a. "the Poly") is said to have been the first institution in this country to use the term "polytechnic" to describe the mixing of many skillsets in one educational endeavour.Falmouth Cafe Scientifique: a pretty good pedigree